Fruit-jar holder and spiral wrench.



No. 787,828. PATENTED APR. 18, 1905. S. J. BLOGHER.

FRUIT JAR HOLDER AND SPIRAL WRENCH.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.18,1903.

entor,

Httornegs UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905.

SAMUEL J. BLOCHER, OF BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,823, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed August 18, 1903. Serial No 169,945.

To all 107107 it many concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Josnrn Bnoon nu, a citizen of the United States residing at Hentonville, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful device to be known as a Fruit- .1 ar Holder and a Spiral \Vrench, of which the following is a specification.

Hy invention relates to fruit-jar holders designed for receiving and transporting jars or cans while preserving and canning fruit and the like and has for its objects to pro duce a comparatively simple inexpensive de vice of this character in which the jars will be securely clamped to thereby permit of the jar-closures being applied without handling the heated vessels, one whereby the jars or receptacles may be supported over a stove to be thus maintained at a uniform temperature while being filled, and one wherein after the vessels have been filled and sealed they may be readily released and removed from the holder.

A further objectof the invention is to provide for readily varying the size of the jarrcceiving opening to accord with vessels of varying sizes.

\Yith these and other objects in view the invention comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating another form of jar-receiving plate. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an improved form of wrench for operating the jar-closu res. Fig. is a similar view of a supplemental filling member designed for use in varying the size of the opening in the jar-receiving plate. Figv 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the end walls or supports.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base-plate sustained upon suitable legs 2 and having one end cut away, as shown, to pro duce a reduced projecting neck 3, to which is attached a handle 4: for handling and transporting the holder, there being attached to the base-plate 1 adjacent to the opposite ends thereof transversely disposed supporting members or walls and 6, which are cut away or rabbeted, as at 5 6, throughout about onehalf their length and upon their normally up per edges for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

For receiving and retaining the jars during the filling operation I provide a plate or member 7, preferably comprising a fixed section '7 and a relatively movable section 8, said sections being oppositely and rcversely semicircularly recessed to produce conjointly a jarrecciving openingS, in which the vessels may be seated and rest upon the base 1. The section 7 is fixedly secured by screws or otherwise to the highest portions of the end members 5 and 6, the upper edges of which portions are horizontal and substantially parallel with the plane of the base 1, while the section 8,which in practice is disposed above the cut away portions of the end members, is pivotally connected by a hinge E) with the fixed section 7', this hinge being preferably in the form of a sheet-metal bar or plate housed within a suitable recess provided in the sections and secured to the latter by screws or other fastening devices 10.

For adjusting the sections 7 8 to clamp a jar or other vessel between them I provide a clamping screw ll, extended transversely through the section 8' and engaged with the section 7, there being between said sections a suitable space to permit sullicient play. whereby when the screw 11 is properly manipulated the section 8 will be drawn toward the other. It is to be particularly noted in this connection that the section 8 is wholly free from attachment tothe end members and sustained entirely by the hinge t) and screw 11, thus being perfectly free for movement to clamping or non-clamping position.

In Fig. 2 the plate or member 7 is shown as formed in one piece, having the central jarreceiving opening 8 and provided with a pair of clamping-screws 12, extended transversely of the member and adapted for cooperation therewith in clamping a jar in position. while in Fig. i is illustrated a supplemental filling ring or element 13, adapted to seat within the opening 8 for reducing the size thereof to correspond with smaller-sized jars, there being secured to the member 13 suitable engaging fingers or cleats it for bearing upon the upper face of plate 7 to retain the filling member in place.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an improved wrench for use in applying and removing the jar-closures, said wrench comprising a suitable length of spring-wire bent into spiral form, as shown, and having its terminals extended outward in spaced parallel relation and provided with handles 15.

In practice a jar to be filled is seated through the opening 8 and rests upon the base 1, being clamped in position in the manner above described. The holder containing thejar may then by means of the handle 4: be moved from place to place and the device may be seated upon the stove for maintaining the jar heated at a uniform temperature while being filled. Owing to the jar being clamped in position, the closure may by use of the Wrench be readily removed and replaced without the operator handling the heated vessel.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I produce a simple eficient device admirably adapted for the attainment of the ends in view, it being understood that minor changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ing position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a base, uprights secured thereto and having their ends inclined toward one edge of the base, a fixed jaw secured to the uprights, a movable jaw pivotally connected to the fixed jaw and disposed above the inclined ends of the uprights, and means for maintaining the movable jaw in clamping position.

2. A device of the class described comprising a base, uprights secured thereto and having their ends inclined toward one edge of the base, a fixed jaw secured to the uprights and provided with a marginal recess, a movable jaw disposed above the inclined ends of the uprights and also provided with a marginal recess, a rod engaging said recesses and forming apivotal connection between said jaws, and a clamping-screw extending through the movable jaw and engaging the fixed jaw for maintaining the former in clamp- SAMUEL J. BLOOHER. Witnesses:

J. B. SMITH, A. L. SPEUER. 

